Internal Gravity Waves Forming (and Deforming) Clouds

Internal waves off the Baha Peninsula visualised by the GOES-10 Imager. Waves are generated by the feeder band to tropical cyclone Juliette on Sept 30, 2001.


2130 UTC	2230 UTC	2330 UTC	0045 UTC

For animation of waves and vortex street see http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/misc/010930/010930_vis_anim.html

	(78K)	Internal waves between Edmonton and Edson (near Rocky Mountains). Taken by A. Mehta, 12/06/98 around 9am.
	(57K)	Internal waves at 30.0S, 134.0E (near Australia) from shuttle mission STS048 at altitude of 307 nauts
	(15K)	Internal waves in wake of Galapagos Islands from shuttle mission STS053 at altitude of 201 nauts
	(12K)	More internal waves in wake of Galapagos Islands from shuttle mission STS059 at altitude of 115 nauts
	(9K)	More internal waves in wake of Galapagos Islands from shuttle mission STS059 at altitude of 115 nauts
	(12K)	Internal waves spotted by a satellite (details unknown)
	(43K)	Internal waves in lee of an island spotted by AVHRR satellite on Feb. 1, 1996. (this image courtesy of Brett N. Lesh, Scripps Institute of Oceanography)
	(87K)	Internal waves appear to be generated by a dynamic instability. Photographed by me in north-west Indiana, December 28, 1994.

Internal Gravity Waves in the Sea

(58K) Internal waves generated by tidal flow through the Straight of Gibraltar. Photo taken during shuttle mission 41G, 12:21:48, Oct 10, 1984.

(52K) More internal waves in the Straight of Gibraltar. Photo taken during shuttle mission 41G, 12:04:04 GMT, Oct 11, 1984. Note, the surface elevation varies by only about 20cm, but the amplitude of the waves well below the surface can be many tens of meters!

(47K) More internal waves in the Straight of Gibraltar. Photo taken during shuttle mission 41G, 12:04:06 GMT, Oct 11, 1984.

(80K) Internal waves generated by tidal flow over the shelf near Hainan Island. Each wavepacket is produced during high tides every 12 hours. Photo taken during shuttle mission STS-7, Jun 23, 1983.

Vortices in the Sky

(36K) Vortices over Atlantic Ocean at 31.0N, 18.2W from shuttle mission STS047 at altitude of 166 nauts

(21K) Dipole vortices near Baja Peninsula from shuttle mission STS069 at altitude of 199 nauts

(17K) Vortex near Tampico (22.0N, 97.0W) from shuttle mission STS062 at altitude of 161 nauts

(17K) Vortices of different scales (details unknown)

(175K) Vortex shedding behind an island (6km wide)

More of these pictures are available from their source sites:

Links to NASA's Photo Gallery

Shuttle Photos of Oceans

Gravity Currents

(13K) (13K) (13K) Gravity current consisting of particles flowing away from demolition site of a Calgary Hospital. Ref: The Canadian Press. Published in the Edmonton Journal, Mon. Oct 5, 1998.

(6K) Morning Glory: a gravity current or solitary wave?
This cloud pattern is observed frequently over North-Eastern Australia in late October.

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Department of Physics home page

Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences home page

	(58K)	Internal waves generated by tidal flow through the Straight of Gibraltar. Photo taken during shuttle mission 41G, 12:21:48, Oct 10, 1984.
	(52K)	More internal waves in the Straight of Gibraltar. Photo taken during shuttle mission 41G, 12:04:04 GMT, Oct 11, 1984. Note, the surface elevation varies by only about 20cm, but the amplitude of the waves well below the surface can be many tens of meters!
	(47K)	More internal waves in the Straight of Gibraltar. Photo taken during shuttle mission 41G, 12:04:06 GMT, Oct 11, 1984.
	(80K)	Internal waves generated by tidal flow over the shelf near Hainan Island. Each wavepacket is produced during high tides every 12 hours. Photo taken during shuttle mission STS-7, Jun 23, 1983.

	(36K)	Vortices over Atlantic Ocean at 31.0N, 18.2W from shuttle mission STS047 at altitude of 166 nauts
	(21K)	Dipole vortices near Baja Peninsula from shuttle mission STS069 at altitude of 199 nauts
	(17K)	Vortex near Tampico (22.0N, 97.0W) from shuttle mission STS062 at altitude of 161 nauts
	(17K)	Vortices of different scales (details unknown)
	(175K)	Vortex shedding behind an island (6km wide)